


Sometimes, home has a heartbeat.

by Cyrenne



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-18
Updated: 2016-09-30
Packaged: 2018-07-15 18:07:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 16,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7233133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cyrenne/pseuds/Cyrenne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The god's can be cruel sometimes. They take the greatest gift and give it to a Breton, and a practicing mage at that, throw in a sassy Ranger for good measure and stir a bit to watch what comes out. </p><p>Alexis just wants to leave Skyrim. It's too cold for her taste. She is caught right as she is about to cross the border and sent to face the headsmans axe for 'crossing into Skyrim without the proper papers'. Things can only go downhill from there...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> While waiting for an update of a favourite mod of mine I got to writing this bit. No plans on where it's going, I just like to write sometimes (updates whenever I get something done ;)). It's the first time in ages that I wrote something that's not just some tidbits of scenes I made up, but a real story. If you like it, I'd be happy to read some comments about it.  
> Mod that I'm borrowing characters, some scenes and stuff from: Skyrim Romance, soon to be updated. (It doesn't follow the progression of the mod at all, lot's of changed dialogue. Just a warning for anyone looking for the original script in a story. This isn't it.)  
> Be adviced, I'm a noob and do this for my enjoyment, and in the hopes someone might enjoy my ramblings as well :) You have been warned.

"You know, you could hire the companions to help you." Alvor stretched and pulled out a cloth to wipe his brow. The autumn sun was burning in the sky, and the heat from the forge did the rest. 

Bishop, who was browsing through Alvors arrows looked up "Well, even if I wanted to... Couldn't afford it. Had a bit of a setback a few weeks ago. So, have to wait for someone to come around that enjoys hunting bandits and helping a man out."

"Hmhm... Well," Alvor muttered "I'd help you out but I have a wife and kid, business to see to and..."

"Hold your horses, didn't mean you." Bishop grimmaced. "I asked Faendal again, the other day but hes as usefull as a piece of soggy bread."

Alvor snorted. "Nothings gonna convince him to leave town at the moment. Not as long as Sven is around."

"You'd think this place would crawl with all sorts of hunters and adventure wannabes after what happened in Helgen, but so far nothing. No one curious enough to come here, get a chance to see a dragon."

"Heh, you could always ask the two 'heroes' over there." Alvor chuckled and picked up his hammer again. 

"I'll pass, thanks. They would get lost as soon as we left Riverwood." Bishop glanced at the two men leaning on the fence near the Sleeping Giant. Decked out in armor as they were you'd think them at least capable of something other than wagging their tongues after every skirt passing their way. Bishop saw right through them. The quality of their swords for one, the pristine condition of the armor didn't speak highly of them either. No matter how skilled you were, in a fight your armor would get hit, leaving marks. But no such thing on them.

Bishop looked up as the two 'heroes' started to whistle and shout, after a girl no less, that was just limping into the village. Pretty torn up from what he could tell and lugging a heavy bag on her shoulders. The girl paused and waved her hand towards the men, making them shut up. He wondered for a moment what she told them. It was the first time since he'd arrived here, that anything a female resident said would shut them up. The girl pushed past the heroes and towards the smithy. He retreated to the back, feigning interest in the laid out weapons. The last thing he wanted was to talk to another wench. The ones in the village were trouble enough. 

"So, turns out you were right about the bandits up there, Alvor." the girl put down her pack. "What you didn't mention was the other stuff creeping around in there."

"Other stuff?" Alvor grunted. "Girl, you look like a cave bear mauled you. Can't you..." he waved his hands around awkwardly. "You know, do that magic thing?"

"Not for that, sadly. And I ran out of potions halfway through the barrow." she sighed. "Maybe I'll ask Farengar to show me some Restorations spells or lend me a book. Anyway, that's not why I'm here. Look at this." she got to her knees, opened her pack and pulled out some weapons.

"What? Self-made bandit sticks?" Alvor snorted.

"Take a closer look" she handed him a sword.

"That's... Ancient nordic weapons. Where'd you get that?" Alvor held the sword, gently as if it was about to fall to pieces any second.

"Remember me mentioning the bandits not being the only ones creeping around in the barrow?" she shuddered. "I thought you might like them."

"Like them? Shor's bones. I should give you some coin for them. I could study them and craft my own and..." Alvor grumbled along.

"Thought so. Now, I won't hear about coin or other nonsense. Without the potions you gave me, I wouldn't have survived in there." she grinned. "I'm off. Lucan's and then to the Inn for a bath. Think I earned that. You have fun with... whatever you're doing there" Alvor just waved and continued to inspect the weapons, mumbling to himself.

As her uneven footsteps receded, Bishop turned around, deep in thought. The girl went into Bleak Falls Barrow, cleared it out, if she was to be believed and, above all, lived to tell about it. No small feat, especially since he hadn't seen a weapon of any kind. Maybe that was the reason she was so beat up. And maybe, if he played his cards right, he could convince her to go hunting. A cave full of bandits shouldn't be harder to clear out than a ruin full of undead. At least she would make some decent arrow fodder. Bait. Maybe.

He walked past Alvor, who didn't even register him anymore, and off towards the Inn. Past the 'heroes' who had a strange look on their faces, up the stairs and then propped himself up by the door. He didn't have to wait long. 

The girl limped up the road, chugging down a potion. She was... filthy, no other words to describe it. Her dark hair (for all he knew it could also be blonde under all that grime) framed a face smeared with blood and dirt. A blood soaked shirt, ripped of sleeve on the right, under a leather vest. Leather pants, actually looking fine, despite the dirt, and thick leather boots. And, of course, the backpack. Hanging from her shoulders, even empty it looked to heavy for her. As she walked past the still stunned 'heroes' (who didn't comment on her, surprisingly), he tried to figure out her age. His first estimate of the 'girl' was clearly wrong, she had to be in her twenties, somewhere around his age, if he had to guess. Too small to be a nord, a breton, maybe. He was still musing about, when she came up to him.

"You must be really busy, holding up that wall and all, but would you mind stepping aside? You block the door too, you know?"

"What are you gonna do about it, princess?" he smirked. She was a feisty one.

She jerked her head towards the two stunned 'heroes' "Why not ask them? Go on, I'll wait." she folded her arms. "Or you could just move a bit to either side. See? I even give you a choice here. Either side is fine with me. As long as I can get through the door and maybe get a bath before nightfall. Would be great, thanks."

He let his eyes wander over her for a second, recognising a faint blush creeping up her face, and grinned. "After you. Wouldn't mind to take a look, later. All scrubbed clean."

"You wish." she snorted and motioned for him to move. "Scoot."

He couldn't help but laugh. This tiny thing infront of him had balls. "As my lady commands. Need some help scrubbing? Since I'm only holding up the wall and have nothing else to do?" he winked.

Her face reddened even more, nearly matching the blood smears. "You've got to be kidding, right?" she sighed and rubbed her forehead. "If i'd known about the bouncer of this oh so fancy Inn, I'd used my spell on you. Now there's two confused idiots down there and a pain in my ass infront of me. Awesome. Lucky you I'm totally exhausted or you'd be on your knees right here. Now, for the last time. Let. Me. Through." she glared at him. "Pretty please. If that helps."

"On my knees? You just have to ask nicely, princess, and maybe I'll go down..."

She pushed at him and stormed through the door.

Yup. Girl had balls, but no common sense. He chuckled and followed her in. She was standing at the bar, talking to Orgnar. Bishop looked around and chose the only free table to sit down, ordered some mead from the tavern girl and waited. 

It took a while for her to get back into the main room. She stepped out of the baths, clean and with a shirt that was way too big for her. Her hair had turned out to be dark brown. Wild and untamed, her curls surrounded her face just touching her neck at the back. A few scratches on her skin and a scar, an older one by his guess, that started right below her left eye, curved across her cheek and ended at her mouth. A mouth with a quick tongue and full red lips. Another scar ran along her jaw, starting at her chin and vanishing behind her right ear. Green eyes, narrowed to slits as she recognised the only seating option was at his table.

She ordered something at the bar and walked over to his table. 

"Do you mind if I sit here? God's know I'd rather sit outside at the moment but the service outside is bad so...?"

Just as before, outside the Inn, he let his eyes wander. "Anything for you, Ladyship." he smirked and showed his teeth. "I have to say you look much better all cleaned up."

She sat down. "Yeah, uh... thanks."

Orgnar came over and put a bowl, some bread and mead on the table.

"So... What happened to you that left you in such a state? Lovers quabble?"

She'd started to eat and looked up from the bowl. "Yeah. Your dad says hi, by the way." A chunk of bread vanished in her mouth. "I'm eating. Don't talk!"

He waited patiently and partly amused for her to finish her meal. When she finally leaned back and downed a bottle of mead he grinned with a raised eyebrow. "Permission to talk, your highness?"

She sighed. "Sorry. I can be a bit... well, bitchy when I'm hungry." she smiled. "And it's Alexis, not 'highness'."

"I think 'highness' fits you better." he smirked at her grimace. "So, what happened. If you don't mind my asking." Find out if she's able to defend herself and, most of all, not afraid to kill a group of bandits. He'd wasted too much time in Riverwood to put up his nose at someone who might be able to help him get his wolf back.

"Some... corpses attacked me."

"Corpses? You mean draugr?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. They were in Bleak Falls Barrow. Looked like they were dead a long time and then they moved, stood up and attacked me."

"As far as I know, a group of bandits had their hideout there."

She grinned "Had."

"Look at you. All on your lonesome?" he mocked. "What did the bandits do, or, better yet, what did you do to them?"

"I wouldn't have done anything. Just wanted to go in and get something from the barrow." she took another swig of mead. "But they insisted on hurting me, shot arrows and ran at me with raised swords, so... It's their fault as far as I'm concerned."

"Still haven't told me how you managed it."

"I know some... spells."

"A mage. My my." he kept his face neutral. Mages, most of the times, meant trouble. Unable to control their powers, or worse, control their summoned creatures. He didn't have a problem with mages as long as they didn't attack him. He could just imagine the havoc she could cause in a cave filled with bandits. 

"Not a mage in that sense. I only know a few minor spells. Just enough to defend myself and make the people here in Skyrim nervous."

"Hmm." Bishop leaned back and picked up his bottle.

"Hmm? That's all?" she blinked, confused. "Most people around here would at least take care to stand clear of anyone able to use magic, or am I wrong?"

"It depends. Most people are just afraid. They know what mages are capable of and that makes them uneasy."

She snorted. "Yeah. 'Oh my, a mage. Don't turn me into a frog'" she mimicked a fearful voice.

He chuckled. "Something along those lines, yeah."

They sat in silence, listening to the bard play.

"So, what about you?" she asked after a while. "Do you usually hold up the wall out front or..."

"Only when a new lady enters town." he laughed. "I'm a... ranger. Of sorts. Tracking, hunting, the like."

"And you're here because...?"

"I'm looking for someone. See, a group of bandits captured my wolf, Karnwyr, and I plan on showing them the error of their ways. Problem is, theres a whole bunch of them. About 15 or so and I'd feel better with some back up." He paused for a bit, downing the rest of his mead. "Thing is, there's just too many cowards around. Only interested in themselves."

A few minutes passed. Her playing with the bottle stopped and she looked right at him. "I have to go to Whiterun in the morning."

That wasn't at all what he expected. He raised an eyebrow.

"Got something for the Jarl, well for his court wizard, actually. But then... I don't know. If you think I could be of help... Getting bandits to burn is a bit tricky but I have some other tricks up my sleeve." she winked.

"You sure?"

"Of course. I know how it feels like to lose a pet. Or... a companion?" she added quickly, seeing his expression at the word pet. "I had a fox when I was a kid and when she dissapeared I was devastated." she babbled.

Oh, she'd had a pet... Great. He just hoped she wouldn't talk about her precious fox all the time. 

"Anyway, what do you think?" she looked right at him. "I'd love to have a go at some bandits and maybe watch the resident wall-holder, ranger and whatever else profession you hold, work." she grinned. "Also, it would be nice to have a name. Ranger or Wall-holder have both a nice tune to them but I'd prefer to know who I'm dealing with."

"You'll never let that go, will you?" he shook his head in mock irritation. "I'm Bishop. Resident Wall-holder and annoyance to hungry women."


	2. Sorry, but... a dragon?

_I promised myself I wouldn't fall in love with you. But it was the middle of the night and we were laughing way too hard and I felt so happy for the first time in a long time and I knew I was screwed._  
-Bishop-

  
The road to Whiterun leads along the White River and is travelled regularly by merchants and soldiers. When Bishop and Alexis started on their way, it was still foggy. The sun barely peeking over the mountains. It promised to be another warm autumn day. Perfect for hauling in the last of the crops before winter or to just take a stroll outside of town, to enjoy the last days of warm before the roads started to get all muddy from the rains.

They'd exchanged some pleasanterys at the start of their journey, talking about the weather and joking about Embry who had been in an argument with Stump, the dog. Both tried to loot out the other somewhat, without giving away their intentions. As time went by, they stopped talking and travelled in silence, content that neither needed someone to constantly talk about anything and everything. The road was empty this early in the morning and they made good progress towards Whiterun.

They reached Honingbrew Meadery a few hours later, passing guards and townsfolk or farmhands on their way to work or the market in Whiterun.

"Do you know Whiterun well?" Alexis interrupted the silence.

Bishop looked down at her, "Well enough, I suppose. Why?"

"Well, my... uh, clothing situation is less than ideal to say the least." she smirked, tugging at the rolled up sleeves of her shirt. "And I'll need a bedroll or tent or something."

Bishop grinned and winked at her, "No need for a bedroll, ladyship. I'm willing to share."

"Eh..." she didn't know what to say.

Bishop chuckled at the faint shade of red that, again, creeped up her cheeks. "Don't worry, princess. There's some stores that should sell everything you'd need."

"Ah, yeah. Good. Let's hope the matter with the Jarl doesn't take up too much time." she sighed and shifted her backpack around.

"You know, it's a ways to go to get to the bandits so, to save some time, why don't I go get you some essentials to survive in the wilderness and you do what you have to with the high and mighties?"

"Oh, you'd do that? That would be... To be honest, I don't really know what to get so... I have some gold too." she smiled at him.

"Sure." Bishop growled. "Essentials. Anything else? Some armour, for example?" he let his eyes wander over her outfit.

"No armour. Something light, please?" she reached into her pockets and pulled out a purse clinking with coin. "Oh, I suppose I need to try it on or something..."

"I'll just get you something kid's size, don't worry." Bishop couldn't help but laugh at the confused expression on her face. "If you haven't noticed by now, princess, you're around some pretty tall people here with not too many tiny pixies like you around."

They reached Whiterun and stepped through the big gate onto the busy streets. Children were running around, playing fetch, adults deftly evading their shennanigans while going about their business. The sound of hammering could be heard from the smithy where a tall woman was working on a big sword. Guards patrolled the streets, stopping every so often to exchange a few words with the citizens.

"So..." she stopped, taking in the bustling place. She hated busy places. Too many people, not enough space. She turned and looked at the ranger who seemed to be fine, relaxed. _You're overreacting, again._

"Meet back here when you're done." Bishop turned her towards the fray. "Off you pop." he grinned and shoved her forwards.

"I hate you!" she shouted and was swallowed by the crowd.

 

* * *

 

Bishop spent some time at the stores. Getting potions at Arcadia's, a bedroll and some shirts he supposed would fit her. She was tiny, but otherwise he didn't know anything about her size. He wondered, not for the first time while shopping, why he offered to get her clothes. To find out how her body looked underneath the oversized shirt, maybe. He browesd the stack of clothes, looking for something. He didn't even know what. He added a leather jacket and a leather vest he supposed could fit her well and show off some of the curves she surely had. At Warmaiden's he looked through their assortments of arrows to stock up. Then, daggers. She'd need a weapon, just in case. He didn't know too much about mages, but surely they needed something to defend themselves if their magic didn't work.

He stepped out of the store and headed for the gate to wait for Alexis. A group of guards stood at the barracks on the other side of the street, all with worried faces, clutching their weapons and shields a bit too hard. New recruits maybe, though all looked to be capable of taking up patrols and breaking up bar fights.

"BISHOP!"

His head snapped around, towards the shout. Alexis was running towards him, bumping in more than one person on her way.

"Easy, princess." Her face was red, her eyes looking behind her.

"We don't have much time. There's a dragon and..." she bent over, catching her breath. "They want me to help them kill a dragon." she snorted. "Because I have more experience with them than anyone here and I don't know anything about dragons and I just ran from it and..."

"Woah, what? Slow down." He grabbed her by the shoulder. "A dragon? Where?"

"At the western watchtower. It's attacking or... just flying around, I guess." While she babbled on he could see a dunmer woman in leather armour walking up to the guards and talk to them. So that's why they looked nervous. A dragon. Imagine that.

"Bishop!"

He looked back at her. "Sorry, but... a dragon?"

"Tell me they're crazy and we should leave. At once." she turned and looked at the group of guards and the dunmer woman. "Tell me to leave and never come back or something. I can't kill a dragon."

"Why would you leave?" To go see and maybe kill a dragon. That would be something to talk about. He dropped the bag with all the purchases and took her hand. "Come on. We can at least get a good look at it. Don't you wanna see the first dragon in Skyrim since... I don't know?"

"We're so dead!" she screamed while getting dragged through the gates.

 

* * *

 

The western watchtower had seen better days. Even from afar they could see the smoke rising up. The grass surrounding the tower was burning in some places, black and scorched in others. Irileth, Jarl Balgruufs housecarl, ordered her men to look around for survivors when they reached the tower. Bishop scanned the sky, hoping to get a glimpse of the dragon, while Alexis stood there, eyes fixed on the charred remains of what she guessed had been a guard. It smelled like Helgen. Not as bad, there had been more people in Helgen, of course. Still, the scent of burnt flesh reminded her of something she'd rather not think about.

"Here he comes!" Irileth shouted and the guards scrambled into action, readying their weapons. Bishop pulled his bow from his back and nocked an arrow, looking around at Alexis and winked before taking off towards the black shape in the sky.

The dragon was fast, what first only appeared as big as a bird came rushing through the air with ease, circling over the tower and spit fire at the group. One guard got caught in the flames, his screams echoed in their ears.

No fireball, nonono, resistant. She desperately tried to remember her spells, any spell for that matter. Ice, maybe. Lightning, maybe. She closed her eyes, shutting out the noises, shouts and grunts of guards, the dragon, Bishop and Irileth. Concentration. She felt a crackle in her hands and sprung to action. With a shout she let the first bolt of lighting fly towards the dragon. The spell hit it's tail and surrounded the beast with blue lightning, making it roar and dive towards the ground.

Irileth and the guards grabbed their swords and surrounded the grounded beast, slashing and stabbing at it, while Bishop shot arrow after arrow at it. Alexis summoned ice in her other hands, firing a solid ice spike towards the dragon, it lodged itself in it's wing, leaving a hole in the delicate membrane as it dissolved.

The air was full of sounds and smells, screams of hurt and dying guards, battle shouts from the rest and laughter. Bishop couldn't help himself, laughing and shouting obscenities at the overgrown lizard. He pulled out his dagger and ran towards the dragon, ducking whenever it sent fire his way and evading the guards swords and the occasional spell from Alexis. When he reached the dragon he dropped and slid underneath it, pushing the dagger into the skin on it's neck. With no scales to protect it, the dagger sunk in to the hilt. The dragon let out an earsplitting roar and swung his head up with Bishop still hanging on to the dagger firmly lodged in it's neck.

Later, he would swear to every god (even though he didn't believe in them, or didn't care about them at all), that the dragon was talking. Shouting. Unrecognisable, but words nontheless. While he was hanging on the dagger, about to slip off he heard his name.

"Let go! Bishop!"

He looked down and saw Alexis run towards the dragon, hands full of blue lightning.

"Let go, leave the knife in!" As if he had a choice in the matter, the dagger was lodged in the skin, with him hanging on and still it wouldn't move.

"It's a dagger, ladyship!" He looked up at the metal wristguard of his dagger, a metal wristguard.

"I hope you know what you're doing, princess!" he roared and let go, hit the ground and rolled out of the way before the dragons claws could reach him.

With a crackling sound, the lightning hit the dagger, rolled along the metal and into the beast.

And yet again, Bishop would have sworn the dragon said something. He seemed to be surprised, if dragons could look surprised, that is.

The dragon reared up one last time and the big head crashed to the ground.

For a moment, you could only hear the crackling of fire. Where moments before shouts and roars filled the air, now there was silence.

The dragon didn't move. The dragon was dead.

Bishop stood there, wondering how on nirn he would get back his dagger. Damn lizard fell right on it.

"We did it." a hand grabbed his arm. "And we're alive."

He looked down at the small woman at his side. "And you wanted to run." he laid an arm over her shoulders and pulled her closer, she was shaking all over. "You okay?"

"I would have preferred to run, honestly." she whispered. "I'm so done with this place. I'm exhausted and my shirt is ruined again."

Bishop laughed and started walking towards the dragon, supporting Alexis who stalked forward on shaky legs. "Let's have a closer look, shall we?"

The guards and Irileth were surrounding the body, marvelling at it's size.

At first no one paid much attention to the sizzling. Some guards were talking, excited to be alive and survived the dragon. The fire around them was still crackling, devouring a dead tree or some bushes. It was Irileth who saw it first. The dragons skin and scales glowing like hot iron and stripping off, as if consumed by invisible fire.

"Get back. Somethings happening! BACK!"

The guards scattered away, falling over their feet, Irileth stepped back, towards the remains of a building and Bishop, still with Alexis in his arm, turned around and pulled her back. She stumbled and fell down. Within seconds she was surrounded by... what? Light. Streams of light waving around her, emanating from the dragon and flowing right towards her. With a soft sizzle, the last skin dissapeared from the dragon, leaving only bones. Then the lights dissapeared.

"Alexis?" Bishop knelt down beside her. "Come on, princess. Talk to me."

Her shoulders shook. Shit. Was she crying? He touched her "Hey. Don't..."

She turned around, still shaking. "I don't believe it." she giggled. "Here we are, just killed a dragon for fucks sake. Not a single scratch on me. Not burned, nothing and... and..." she sat up, laughing now. "And as soon as it's dead what happens, huh? I trip over something. Of course I do."

Bishop sat back. "You're... all right?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Another fit of laughter shook her. She wiped her eyes. "No. Yes. I don't know."

"I can't believe it, you're... Dragonborn."

Her laughter stopped and both of them looked up at the guard that stood near them.

Alexis smiled, suppressing another fit of giggles.


	3. Stupid Nord Shit!

_You're Dragonborn._

_Can you shout? Have you tried?_

_The Dragonborn kills dragons and absorbs their power._

_I'll stay here, you should go and tell the Jarl what happened.._.

Something wasn't right. Couldn't be right. Alexis couldn't put a finger on it. Her and Bishop were on their way to Dragonsreach, to tell the Jarl what happened with the dragon. Bishop was right next to her, quiet, not saying anything and she was grateful for his silence. She had to get to terms with what happened at the tower first.

At first, she was giggling like crazy. Something inside her had... shifted when the dragon died. She'd tried to find out what while half listening to the guards babble on about Tiber Septim and dragons and other nonsense. After a while, the nauseating feeling disapeared, something clicked and... The guard that had pestered her about shouting was on his back, the others scrambling towards him. She'd had... shouted at him. Something, not even a real word. FUS. It wasn't anything magical, that much she was sure of. Her throat felt a bit raw from the force of the strange word ripping out of her mouth.

She apologized, of course. Never meant to do anything like that, but the guards, strange enough, didn't mind too much. They just confirmed their suspicions. She was Dragonborn, and that was that. No use in denying.

As if that wasn't enough, the weather seemed to have taken offense to something. Just before they'd reached the gates to Whiterun, clouds formed in the sky. Thunder rolled down the mountain, or at least it sounded like thunder... Maybe not. Maybe it was something else, she couldn't be sure, but felt it had something to do with her.

They walked up the stairs towards Dragonsreach when Bishop stopped her.

"You wanna go in alone?" he asked quietly, a strange look on his face.

Her head snapped up. "Why? It won't take long, we'll just tell him about the dragon and be on our way to get your wolf, right? That's the plan... right?"

"That was before..."

"No. We go in, tell the Jarl about the dragon and be on our way." she snapped. "Nothing changed. You do want to get your wolf back, don't you?" She started to walk again. Dragonsreach, tell the Jarl, go. Out. Away from here. Forget about all that nonsense.

She reached the top of the stairs and turned around. Bishop was still standing on the stairs, looking up at her. "Please?"

She looked so lost, standing up there. If he hadn't heard it, experienced himself how she put the guard down earlier, he wouldn't believe it. Her shout had ripped through the air, too loud, too mighty to have come from such a small person, but still. He wanted his wolf back, sure, and she wanted to come with him, right? Who was he to tell her no? He started walking towards her.

"As my lady commands." He was surprised at the relief spreading on her face.

 

* * *

 

 

The Jarl was talking to his brother, Hrongar and his steward. "You heard it... The Greybeards."

"Ah, there she is, the one we've been waiting for." Hrongar motioned for Alexis and Bishop to move closer. "My brother needs a word with you!"

"So? What happened at the tower? Was the dragon there?" The Jarl, sitting on his throne, leaned forward with an excited gleam in his eyes.

"The dragon is dead." Alexis stated. "It destroyed the tower, but in the end we killed it."

The Jarl leaned back. "I wish I could have been there. A dragon." he marveled. "Anything else?"

"Uh... No. That's it. Just wanted to tell you, that's all. Irileth will tell you the details, no doubt." Alexis lied.

"But something..." the Jarl shifted on his seat. "What about the..."

"Didn't you hear the thundering sound a while ago?" Hrongar interrupted his brother. "Something happened when the dragon died, I'm sure of it."

She could feel a soft nudge at her back and looked to the side, where Bishop stood. He raised an eyebrow and nodded towards the Jarl.

"No." she hissed.

"What happened?" The Jarl, having seen their quick exchange stood up. "Tell me at once!"

Alexis' eyes flashed to the Jarl. "Nothing. Just... some superstition, that's all."

"You better come clean, girl." Hrongar stepped forward.

"If you have to know, some of your guards seem to think me the 'Dragonborn' or something. Now if that's..." she wanted to leave so bad.

"So the Greybeards were summoning you!" The Jarl looked at her, studied her face as if he expected to see... something. Scales maybe... Dragon scales. Alexis snorted.

"Who are they Greybeards?" Alexis couldn't help but ask.

"Masters of the Thu'um, or shout. They live on top of the Throat of the World." the Jarl informed her.

"The shout, earlier, that was them." Hrongar added, excited.

"Hrongar, calm yourself. What does this Nord nonsense have to do with her?" the steward pointed at Alexis and, thinking about it, she couldn't agree more. "Capable as she may be..." he added.

"Nord nonsense??" Hrongar exploded. "Why, you puffed up ignorant... these are our sacred traditions that go back to the founding of the First Empire!"

Balgruuf chuckled. "Hrongar. Don't be so hard on Avenicci."

"I meant no disrespect, of course. It's just that... what do these Greybeards want with her?" the steward asked.

"That's the Greybeards' business, not ours." The Jarl turned towards Alexis again. "Whatever happened when you killed that dragon, it revealed something in you, and the Greybeards heard it. If they think you're Dragonborn, who are we to argue? You'd better get up to High Hrothgar immediately. There's no refusing the summons of the Greybeards. It's a tremendous honor."

She just stood there, unmoving. They were serious. She was on Avenicci's side completely. Stupid Nord shit! "Well, if that's all... I'll take my leave then. Don't want to let the Greybeard's wait too long."

Bishop chuckled at her sarcastic tone but stopped at once when she turned towards him, her eyes flashing in anger. She grabbed his sleeve and pulled him towards the exit.

"Dragonborn, wait..." the Jarl shouted after her, but she was too eager to get out to stop and listen to more of his ramblings.


	4. Fear

All the way down the stairs from Dragonsreach, Bishop could hear her mutter under her breath. Too muted to understand much, he could only make out tidbits like 'stupid', 'superstition' and 'nonsense'.

She turned towards him as they reached the market. "Did you get all the supplies earlier?"

"Of course, your Highness." he smirked and bowed his head. "I left them at the smithy, we can pick them up and leave, if that's your desire."

"Ass."

"Ah, but a damn sexy one!"

For a moment, she just stood there. Nibbled on her lips. Bishop wondered what she was up to, as she stepped towards him, pushed herself up on her toes and laid a hand on his neck, pulling his head towards her.

"Mine is much sexier!" she whispered in his ear. Her hot breath on his skin sent a shiver down his back. She let go of him and walked away, hips swaying.

He watched her stalking away, grinning. It would take days to get to their destination. The cave where the bandits held his wolf. Nights, where it would be too dark and dangerous to stumble through the wilderness. Interesting nights, maybe.

He caught up to her. "Let me be the judge of that, princess." he growled. "So far I haven't seen anything to confirm your claim."

She blushed slightly and pushed her elbow in his side. "You're impossible!"

They'd reached the smithy and Bishop picked up the bag with their supplies. "You started, princess." he winked. "Why don't we rent a room at the Bannered Mare for tonight? We could compare and..."

"You wish." she snorted. "Let's go, your wolf is waiting."

"As my lady commands." His bow earned him another jab at the ribs.

"Where are we going anyways?" she asked, going through the gate to leave Whiterun.

"Cave somewhere between Windhelm and Riften." He pulled out a map. "Here." An area was circled in.

"And you know that how?"

He grinned. "Convinced one of them to show me."

"Hmm, can't imagine he was too happy to part with the location." she grinned and studied the map. "So, we follow this road east, cross this... area and should be there, right?"

"You make it sound so easy. It's going to take at least three days to get there. Maybe four, depending on how much trouble we find on the road..." he mused. "We could spend the night here," he jabbed the map. "There's some towers here, full of bandits, no doubt. Time to show me what you can do." He winked at her.

She snorted "You'll find out soon enough."  


 

* * *

 

  
The last bandit collapsed, armour singed and some arrows stuck in his chest.

"You OK?" Bishop checked Alexis, looking for arrows sticking out of her, wounds from sword hits, anything.

"Yeah, just..." she groaned and slid a health potion from her belt. "Just a stray arrow. Nothing major." With a plop the cork flew from the bottle and Alexis took a sip. "Should be all right in a second."

"Good." He took a few steps towards her. "Now, what the fuck did just happen?"

Alexis blinked, confused. "What?"

"Care to explain why half of the bandits here just stood there while the other half attacked them?" Bishop shook his head. "I thought you mages just throw fire and ice or something."

"Oh." Alexis giggled. "I can do that, of course. But wasn't that more fun?"

"Could have warned me." he growled. "Could have saved me some arrows." He watched her uncork another bottle, this time with some blueish liquid, and taking a sip.

"It doesn't work all the time. That's why I didn't tell you. It was the first time the calming spell worked on that many baddies." She scrunched up her nose. "God's. No matter how prepared you are, the first taste is always the worst." She put the corck back in the half full bottle. "Next time I'll try some fear. Make them regret ever standing up."

"Fear?" he watched as she turned a dead bandit around and went through his pockets. "The more you know. And mages wonder why they're feared around here." he shook his head again.

They raided the towers, looking through chests and bandits pockets then split their bounty. Some gold, a ruby, lot's of arrows. Bishop only took a few he deemed good enough and discarded the rest. One of the towers had a table all set with fresh food and drinks. To preserve their supplies they sat down and started eating.

"So..." Bishop started after they'd eaten. "How's that work exactly, the fear thing, I mean."

"Hmm, I don't really know. Those spells, the calming, fury or fear, only work on people. Not animals. And it depends on how... strong, or better, how resistant to magic they are. Some may feel something while others get really panicked. Some may feel nothing while others start attacking their friends, killing everything in sight."

"Were you ever on the recieving side of one of those spells?"

"Yeah. My instructor once feared me." she shuddered. "Worst moments of my life. Well, not anymore, I guess..." her voice trailed off.

"Not anymore?" he watched her, she shuddered and rubbed her arms.

"Unimportant." the smile she showed him didn't reach her eyes. "You're so curious, wanna feel what it's like?"

"Ha, princess, I doubt you'd be able to do anything to me with your magic tricks." he grinned. "Fire and ice, sure. But that? Messing with my head?"

"Well, if you're so sure about it..."

"Go ahead. Hit me with your best shot." he leaned back and picked up his mead bottle.

"I don't think I'll need too much energy to make you jump out of your skin, Ranger." With a mischievous grin she stood up and performed some complicated looking movements with her hand, slowly filling it with red light streams, whirling around in her palms. "Any last words?"

He just snorted and took another sip from the bottle as she released the light. It swirled around his body and he felt... nothing.

He was relaxed. Nothing would happen. Could happen. They killed everything around so why was his heart pounding so fast? His breath quickened. He could barely breathe and pulled on the collar of his leather armour. His hands were sweaty. This was how he would die. Heartattack. They forgot a bandit that was hiding in a corner over there. He was sick, no healing could help him.

He knew, deep inside, that this panic attack was just a magic trick and still he couldn't help the fear eating away at him. He bent over, aware that he wasn't sitting on the chair anymore, but standing. His breath came out in short wheezes and black spots appeared before his eyes. Everything was blurred. He'd die, right here, right now. His heart would give up and he would fall down without anyone knowing or caring about it.

Alexis watched him go from confident to a wheezing, shaking bundle of fear in a matter of seconds. It wouldn't take long, half a minute, maybe. For him though, it would seem to last for hours. The only reason he was still here, still not running was that she dampened the spell.

"What.. the... fuck!" he groaned, shaking. "How... how long...?" He was on his knees now, fists planted firmly to the ground.

"Deep breaths. It'll be over in a bit." she knelt down beside him and forced his head up, to look into his eyes. "Look at me, Ranger! Deep breaths, there you go."

His amber eyes fixed on hers, sweat trickled down his forehead. His wheezing died down and he took a few, shaky breaths. "Fuck! Me!!"

She grinned. "I don't think so."


	5. Interlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a while, sorry for that... Another game came around and I was caught up in that. Lore and everything. It's Enderal, Total Conversion of Skyrim and awesome!! Out now in English I believe. Try it out, it's great :)  
> It seems some people are still reading my blurbs, for whatever reason^^ Btw: There's a comment section and I don't mind answering anything on there, especially now that I finally got rid of my unhealthy addiction to another World, and can continue with whatever this story is :D

The main tavern room was empty. A bored barkeep leaned against the counter, trying not to fall asleep. Behind one door he could make out giggling and shouting. A few hours ago a group of people stormed in. One man walked up to him and ordered the biggest room he had and dropped a purse of coins on the counter. Since then, silence. Except for the sounds coming from the room, of course. And every so often a shout for more wine or food. He delivered, and whenever he approached the door it was opened, just a bit, and two hands reached out to grab the items and shut the door again. At first, the barkeep was curious. Now, hours after they arrived, he was just bored and wished them to Oblivion. Or somewhere else. Not here in his tavern.

The main door opened and three figures stepped in, accompanied by a gust of icy wind and snow. Their cloaks were crusted white and stiff from the storm that must be raging outside, the barkeep didn't care. In his tavern the fire always burned, keeping everything warm.

"Mead!" one of them shouted, dropping his cloak on to the floor. "And keep it coming, my good man." He was a strange fellow. His clothes were all mismatched in colour. But they were customers and with a deep sigh the barkeep gathered some bottles and brought them over.

 

* * *

 

 

"Why are we here?" a woman with black curls shook out her cloak and placed it on the bench beside her.

"I'd like to know this aswell. If you wanted a drink you could..." a blonde woman started but was silenced by the man.

"Hush. Prick up your ears and listen." the man grinned. "Don't ever say your old uncle don't keep his promise."

"Uncle." the black haired woman snorted. She tilted her head. "But it seems you're right. He is here."

The blonde stood up. "Well then. Time to pay him a visit, don't you think? I'd like to know his intentions, sooner rather than later."

"Patience, dear. Let's enjoy some... well, whatever that is..." the other woman said, handing a bottle to her companions. "He's not going anywhere anytime soon. It seems he just started."

"Now, where's the cheese..." the man muttered. "Didn't I order cheese? Barkeep!" he shouted. "Bring the cheese."

"Oh dear..." the black haired woman sighed. "Let's just keep it quiet. We don't want to spoil his fun." she nodded her head towards the closed door behind which the screams and laughter just died down.

"And why not?" the blonde asked. "I don't even know what I'm doing here with you two, to be honest. I could have stayed right where I was and be warm and not exposed to such..." she shook her head.

"Look who's talking. I get pulled out of my vacation by you two. Not that I care, mind you. Two beautifull ladies needing the help of old..."

"Quiet." the black haired woman hissed. "You can go back. Right now, if you wish. I'm staying because I need to know how he got his hands on that information. None of us knew anything. Something is going on, that much we knew, but what... You don't care about anything, so leave. I'll stay."

"Why would you stay? You could have pointed me in the right direction and go on with your life." the blonde eyed one of the bottles suspiciously before taking a tiny sip. "Urgh... That's disgusting, by the way."

"No one ordered you to drink it." the other woman muttered.

The man held up his bottle and took a moutfull. "I like it."

The barkeep came over with a platter of cheese and dropped it on the table. The eyes of the man in the mismatched clothes lit up. "Finally. No party complete without cheese. Now we could use an Argonian Concubine..." he started muttering to himself, looking around as if one just so happened to be there.

"Seriously..." the black haired woman sighed. "Barkeep, how long have your... guests... been here?" she motioned to the door behind which someone had just started moaning.

"Few hours or so." the barkeep scratched his head. "Don't know if it's any of your business though."

"Oh, it is." the woman smiled sweetly. "You'd do better not to listen too closely to what is going to happen in the next hour or so. Better yet... Go check the wine stores in the cellar. Don't come up." She stood up and pushed a big coin purse into his hands. 

"No harm will come to you if you stay out of our way." the blonde said, standing up too. 

"What..." the barkeep was pushed towards the cellar door. 

"Don't argue, good man." the man in the mismatched clothes giggled. "No chance against those two. Believe me, I tried." he was still sitting there. "If you behave, we leave your place just as we found it, and may leave another of those purses on the counter. If not..." he popped a bit of cheese into his mouth. "I can't guarantee for anything."

 

* * *

 

 

The room was hot, smelling of sweat and wine, the window fogged up. Naked bodies on the bead, hands touching naked, sweaty flesh, moans and groans errupting from one mouth or the other. 

A dark haired man was lying there with two women and two men all touching him or eachother. Every so often he would pinch a butt or a breast which caused the recipient of that pinch to giggle and give some greater attention to him. One of the women just lowered herself onto him, taking his rock hard member into her soft, moist embrace. He groaned and closed his eyes while fondling the breast of the other woman who was giving the two men standing around her attention. Switching her hands and mouth every so often from one stiff prick to the other. 

"More wine!" he bellowed, slapping the woman above him on the butt, motioning for her to move.

"But... Sammy!" she wailed. "I'm not done with you yet!"

"Ah sweetling. The night is long, still. And if it's not long enough... There's still the day to waste." he grabbed her chin and kissed her, rough and deep, then pushed her away. "We have tonight, tomorrow, whatever. We stay here, till I'm done with you, darlings. And I just started." 

He walked to the door and opened it slightly, expecting some bottles of wine to be thrust into his hands. 

A hand closed around his wrist and pulled, so hard his head hit the door. 

"Come out. Alone. We need to talk!" a voice hissed through the crack. "If you don't, we'll come in and make sure your little gathering is done."

"Ah, I know that voice. My sweet, why don't you come in instead? I have something for you right here, that could help with your... hmmm, pent up tension." he growled.

"Out! Now!" the hand around his wrist vanished.

He looked back to his pets. They seemed to have found each other quite attractive, the girls taking great care of the men and vice versa. None of them had noticed anything, so preoccupied were they in their lust.

"Well... seems I'm not needed here at the moment. Don't mind me, my sweets. I'll just step out for a while. Don't go anywhere." he chuckled darkly. Not that any one of them would be able to walk anyhow, after he was done with them. 

He opened the door and stepped out.

"Well, well. Look who's here." he walked towards the group gathered around the table. "If I'd known you were coming I would have brought some more of my pets for you."

"And if I'd know you would come armed I would have brought my spear too." the man in the mismatched clothes snorted. 

"Armed? What, with that little thing?" the black haired woman smiled and walked around the black haired man, trailing her fingers lightly around his shoulders.

"Hmm, my dear Azura. Sharp tongue. Why don't you use it on something else for once?" the black haired man growled, grabbing her. "I believe it has been too long... Too long since you indulged yourself in your baser needs."

"Oh, I don't know, 'Sam'." she purred. "I've kept quite busy. What do I need you for?"

They stood infront of each other now, both smiling at the other, waiting for a sign of weakness.

"Stop that. Now." the blonde woman stood up and threw her cloak at Sam. "Cover yourself and sit down."

"And why should I?" Sam roared, throwing his arms to the side. "Behold the glory of the prince of deb..."

"Now, now." Azura interrupted him by pressing her hands between his legs. "You sit down now and we talk. And I wont hurt your most prized... possessions."

"Easy now, dear. That's still needed!" Sam hissed and moved a step back. "Right then." he sat down beside the other man. "Now, what are you doing here with these... lovely... ladies?"

"Oh, you know how it is." the man giggled. "They needed help and thus interrupted my vacation. Just when I was about to have some fun they arrived and snatched me. How could I say no? Especially since I got some cheese."he picked another piece of cheese up and offered it to Sam who shook his head. With a shrug he ate it himself. "Anyways, I'm just watching from now on. Go ahead, do your business. I'm not needed anywhere."

 "Right, business." Sam sneered. "What do you want? And why are you here?" he asked the blonde woman especially. 

"How did you know?" the blonde asked.

"Know what? Be a little more specific, dear. I know a lot." Sam grabbed a bottle of mead.

"She wants to know if you were aware of the importance of one of your would-be pets." Azura hissed. "And how were you able to put her and that... good-for-nothing Cutthroat together."

Sam blinked, confused. "What now?"

"He had nothing to do with the last part, I assure you." the blonde smiled. "That was me putting together some events so they may meet."

"You... Why?" Azura flared up. "Do you even know what could have been? There are men and women more suitable for her than this... flea ridden... mongrel." she spat out.

"And who would that be?" the blonde asked snidely. "Ulfric? Any of the Jarls? Don't be absurd."

"It's of no matter anyways." Azura sighed. "He doesn't believe in you. Or us. He'll do what he wants, use her and then throw her away. We can plan accordingly."

"We'll see..." the blonde smiled. "Now, 'Sam'. How did you know about her?"

"If you don't start making sense any time soon, I'll go back to my room." Sam growled. "Bloody, stupid..."

"You... acquired, let's say, a new pet a few months back." the blonde told him. "One that wasn't as... forthcoming as the ones you have with you right now." she dropped an almost transparent neckring on the table.

"How... Did you remove that?" Sam got up and picked up the ring. "How did you do that? Why? How many have you removed by now?" he glared at the blonde. "Those are my pets and you don't meddle in my affairs. You're free to meddle with mortals, but this... That's unacceptable."

"She came to me, asking for help." the blonde replied, glaring at Sam. "You do know that some mortals don't like your... whatever it is you're doing."

"That's what those rings are for, dear." Sam's voice was thick with sarcasm. "They don't want it, too bad. If I want them, they will want it. I just have to help them understand that fact."

"And I'll do everything that's in my power to help those poor creatures you subdued. If I go into that room, will I see someone with a device like this?"

"No. They're not... It's none of your business anyway." Sams voice got louder with each word. "Don't you dare meddle in my affairs again."

"Well, it's not why we're here." the blonde's eyes narrowed into slits. "Did you know who she was?"

"I don't even know what 'she' we're talking about." Sam roared. "Names, bodies, anything. Do you know how many pets and would be pets I have? You wouldn't believe it."

"Little breton woman, about this high" Azura held up her arm. "Let's see, brown locks, green eyes. Ring a bell?"

Sam blinked and stood unmoving for a moment. "Hmm, she was a wild one." he grinned. "Fought against all my efforts. And just so you know, my dear..." he looked at the blonde. "This 'device' is not used often. Some mortals are just... Well, they need a helping hand to guide them into my loving arms." He looked at the wall of the tavern, not seeing it, letting past events flash before his eyes. "She needed it. Needed a leash, if you will. And even though you removed it, I still can get to her. Get her to come to me, if I so desire."

"What..." the blonde looked at him, confused.

"Do you take me for a fool? Do you think my powers so weak that I need some silly device to control my pets? Don't be absurd. This device is just a neat little helper, for when I am too lazy."

"Which is most of the time." Azura snorted.

"Only concerning maintenance and administration of my assets." he grinned. "Other things... Well, I'm not to lazy to..."

"Enough." the blonde shouted. "Again, not the point."

"Then what is it? What do you want?" Sam asked her.

"I just want to know how you knew, even before any of us knew. How did you manage to subdue her?" her voice was calm now.

"How..." Sam laughed. "I have my ways, my dear. I could show them to you, if you wish." he walked up to her, close enough so anyone would feel either uncomfortable or excited, depending on the mood he was in.

"So you didn't know." the blonde didn't seem to be intimidated by Sam standing this close to her. "That's good to hear. You will release your hold at once. You will not interfere with anything concerning her again. Understood?"

"Why? I can do whatever I want to. Who are you to order me around? I can pull her into my realm whenever I want to. You have no power over me. As soon as she's sleeping, her mind vulnerable to suggestions... I'm going to have so much fun."

"I taught her some tricks." the blonde leaned forward and whispered in his ears. "You won't take her, you won't corrupt her and you won't lay your hands on her again. I can make sure you will have lot's of problems acquiring new pets and keeping your old ones. Don't cross me. You know I can make your existence a nightmare beyond your comprehension."

"Ha. That's just words, my dear. But... I promise, I won't get into contact with her. Personally. If she seeks me out, however... And I can't promise that won't happen. She's still marked by me and, apologies, but I can't take that back." Sam's face was a mockery of someone deeply regretting something.

"I will watch every step and so help me, if you do anything!"

"You have my promise, what else do you want?" Sam threw his arms out wide. "Now, if that's all... I have business to attend to. You know where the door is... and tell the barkeep hiding in the cellar to bring up some more wine before you leave." with that, he turned around and strolled towards his room. "You're welcome to join, of course." The door closed behind him and within seconds a bout of giggles and shouts errupted behind it.

"Well, that went... well?" the man in mismatched clothes muttered.

"It couldn't have gone any worse. He will not stop until he finds out everything about her, and since his mark is already upon her..." the blonde sighed. "Thank you, both, for your assistance. I know it is highly unusual, but I didn't know who else to turn to. And you would have found out either way." She put on her cloak and headed for the door. 

"Found out what? I still don't know what we... well, you were on about." the man opened another bottle of mead and took a swig. "Why's one mortal so precious for one of them to turn to us?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Azura picked up her cloak. "Thanks for helping, Ann-Marie." she grinned.

"Ah, my dear. You're the only one allowed to call me this." the man grinned. 

"I bet you say that to all the girls." she chuckled and headed for the door. "Tell that poor man he can come out, will you?"


	6. Another dragon...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, I promised to update more... for the ones reading it, no. It's not dead. My brain just decided to jump on with the story to a much later state and I can't continue with the story while my in my head the story already progressed a lot, a lot happened and many many options jump in and blurb out of my fingers so to speak^^ I have a lot of ideas on what's going to happen further down the line, all written down, fleshed out etc, but to continue the story how it has to... My head actually has to be free of random spurts of... I don't know, them being much more closer together and such^^ So, sorry for the long wait, I'll try to write on even though my head tries to convince me to write other things ;) Can't promise it'll be any good or coherent... So here goes^^
> 
> -Translation at the end of chapter-

_Are you trying to kill yourself? And failing that, are you trying to kill me???_

_Since dying is so much fun I thought I'd try it!!_

~standoff~

 

The night hadn't been too pleasant for the ranger. After her demonstration and his mental breakdown he'd fallen asleep as soon as he laid down on his bedroll. The last thing he remembered seeing was Alexis, sitting on a rickety chair, absorbed in a book. Everything seemed to be so peaceful, perfect for a good nights rest, until...

"Don't do this to me. Please. Don't make me!"

Staying perfectly still he opened his eyes, trying to see through the pitch black of the night.

"I don't... want this. No, please, stop." 

Alexis' voice. Had they killed all the bandits around the tower? Forgotten someone who was back now for revenge? No, they would have killed him first. And would have brought some torches or a lantern at least. He couldn't hear any movement either. So what? The princess had a nightmare? Seemed to be the only explanation.

He reached out for his backpack and, in it, his tinder box. It was not much of a light source but he could see her at least. She was still on the chair, legs pulled up and her head on her knees, her arm from where it dropped hanging loose above it. Everything seemed to be fine.

"Hey," he whispered "your highness. Everything alright?"

"No?" she sobbed. "Don't... don't hit me, please. I'll do it. Just, just don't..."

"I'm not..." she didn't even move. Still fast asleep. 

"Maybe, maybe use the smaller one again? Don't use, no. Not the... It hurts. Yes. The small one. Thank you..." a scream, loud and horrified followed her words, echoing through the night.

He got up and kneeled before her. "Wake up! Wake up!!" he grabbed her shoulders, shaking her, tried to wake her up. "Stop screaming, for fucks sake."

"I, I can't. It hurts too much." she wailed, face distorted in agony.

"Theres nothing hurting you. Wake up. Come on, princess. Open your eyes and..."

She threw her arms around his neck, holding onto him. "I'll be quiet now. Promise. Just... just don't hurt me again. Why are you doing this?" she whispered against his chest.

"I... what?" 

"Can I have some... please?" 

"Some what?"

"Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll be good, now. All... 's good... now." she mumbled a few more words he couldn't understand and her breath grew deeper and steadier with each passing moment. Bishop still kneeled infront of the chair, Alexis' arms wrapped around him and her head on his chest.

 

* * *

 

 

"Hey, sleepy. Wake up, sun's up already." something cold, wet on his face. He growled and turned around, wrapping the bedroll even tighter around him. "Oh, come on, ranger. Get up already." 

"Leave me'lone." he snapped. Stupid woman. He'd spent half the night awake, watching her sleep because he sure as balls couldn't after that episode. And now she was up all sunshine and rainbows. 

"Well, then it won't interest you that I borrowed your bow and tried to shoot a deer earlier. Right?"

His head snapped up. I'm gonna wring that pretty little neck of hers. "YOU WHAT?"

She sat on her bedroll, an impish grin on her face. "Nothing. Just trying to wake you up. There's some water in the bucket, from the river outside."

While she prepared the table, he pulled his sorry ass up and stumbled to the bucket full of cold water. Preparing the table, like they were living together and just about to sit down for some breakfast before he would go out to work on the field or something while she did some housework... Why that picture just flashed before his eyes he couldn't even imagine, but it was there. He could even smell the warm bread, right from the oven and wouldn't be too surprised if there was a jug of fresh milk, still warm, around here somewhere.

Bishop shook his head and took off his shirt then took a few handfulls of water and splashed them on his face. Cold as ice, it managed to clear his head and wake him up. A few handfulls later, water splashed everywhere, he used his shirt to wipe off his face and looked up. Alexis was sitting at the table, head on her arms and watching him. 

"See something you like, princess?" he growled, grinning.

"What?" her head shot up. "I... hmm." her eyes followed some drops of water running down his chest, glinting in the early sunlight. "Was just wondering how long it takes for you to really wake up. And god's damn it, put a shirt on, ranger. You don't want to give a girl the wrong ideas."

"What ideas?" he sat down and grabbed a piece of bread. Cold and definitely not fresh. "I'm all ears, don't let me die in suspense."

"Oh, shut up." 

He watched her closely. No sign of anything, just smiles and quips at him for being grumpy early in the morning.

"So..." he cleared his throat. "Sleep well?"

"Like a baby." she leaned back on her chair, face relaxed and eyes closed. "I can't even remember lying down. The last thing I remember is reading something about... What was it again... Ah, movement of the hands while performing a simple healing spell." she grinned. "I really need to learn something along these lines, potions are expensive."

_Yeah, princess, that's because I put you down on your bedroll after you screamed and cried to high heavens._ "So, no dreams or anything?"

"Not that I remember. Why?" 

He usually could read people, see if they were lying or hiding something. No signs of anything showed on her. She looked right at him with a soft smile. Her hands picked apart the last pieces of stale bread, but not in a way that suggested any tension. Nothing in her movements showed any sign of tension at all.

 

"Just... curious, is all. Forget it." he smiled. It could have been a one time thing, or him having a vivid dream about her. No need to worry, for now. "Let's pack up, shall we?"

 

* * *

 

Travelling with Alexis was interesting, for lack of a better word. Bishop was surprised at her interest in anything and everything, her aksing about the plants and wildlife as if she was on the road for the first time in her life. Once she grabbed his hand, as a giant crossed the road infront of them. 

"Don't worry, princess. If you don't get too close, they won't send you flying." he grinned and pulled her on, keeping her hand in his. 

They talked, evading topics none of them wanted to touch. The past, the Dragonborn thing, her nightmare and talking in her sleep. Instead they discussed the Thalmor issue, the civil war and how Whiterun wasn't ready for anything with it's crumbling city walls. How the Jarl should decide, Imperials or Stormcloaks, if he should join the cause or not. They talked about different provinces they visited and how she'd never been to High Rock. 

In the afternoon they reached Darkwater Crossing and decided to stay there for the night. The cave with Bishops wolf wouldn't go anywhere.

Darkwater Crossing was a settlement with a house, a mine and some tents for the miners, barely deserving the term settlement but the inhabitants were proud of their little community. The farm provided food, the hot springs to the norh provided a warm and pleasant bath at the end of a hard day in the mines. Some guards patrolled the mine and surrounding area, so they were safe from just about anything. Except for one thing.

"A dragon?" Bishop was stunned.

"Seen it for myself." Annekke nodded. She was the first one to greet them and allowed them to stay here for the night. "A bit to the northeast. I asked the guards what to do about it, but they're all milk drinkers, shitting their pants." she snorted.

"So, there's another one." Bishop said, scanning their surroundings for any sign of the winged beast.

"What do you mean, another one?" Annekke asked, curious. "Shor's balls, they're supposed to be extinct!"

"We killed one, near Whiterun."

"Alright, that's it. Let me grab my gear and go kill that thing!" Annekke headed for her house and vanished.

"What is wrong with you people?" Alexis frowned. "Mentioning a dragon and all you can think about is killing it. What the fuck!"

Bishop grinned. "Well, mythical beast against weak mortals. The treasure you can find in their lairs. Being the one to kill a dragon. Choose one or more, ladyship." he put down his backpack and checked bow and quiver. "Come on! Two dragons in two days. Tell me that's not exciting!"

"That's suicide!" Alexis watched Annekke leaving her house, clad in some leather armor, bow and arrows on her back. She talked to her husband for a few minutes, throwing her hands up and finally, headed towards Bishop and Alexis.

"God's, I swear, this man will be the death of me." she shook her head. "We used to adventure together, but now? Nothing. The mine, the ore, the farm, whatever. We're going to kill a dragon!"

"Yes we are!" Bishop grabbed Alexis' hand and pulled her up. "Come on, highness. Let's go kill us a dragon. Again."

"We'll die this time for sure!" she wailed as she was being dragged after Annekke and Bishop. "This is the end!"

They found the dragon two hours later. It was circling one of the rock covered hills in the lowlands. Evading the hot springs surrounding the hill, they moved closer while trying to stay out of the dragon's sight. They were prepared, Bishop and Annekke with their bows, Alexis with her magic. The dragon was as good as dead, it just didn't know it yet.

"You know it was just luck, last time." Alexis whispered when they stopped behind a large rock. "We're only three, last time we were twenty! How do you imagine us three taking this thing down??"

"Stop your whining, girl!" Annekke readied her bow. "By the god's, I can't believe we're actually doing this!" 

"Aim for it's belly or neck, Annekke! It's vulnerable there." Bishop stood up, Alexis and Annekke followed his lead. "Ladies! It's on!" he grabbed Alexis' shirt and pulled her in for a kiss. "For good luck!" he winked and started running towards the hill, followed by a laughing Annekke. 

_Did he just..._ Alexis shook her head and went after them, trying to catch up.

With an earsplitting roar the dragon descended upon them, flying so close to them, the rush of air nearly pushed them of their feet. Bishop started to yell at the dragon, Annekke just screamed while both released their first arrows. Another roar and the dragon released a stream of ice towards them, easy to avoid.  _Ice, use fire spells!_ Alexis readied a firebolt and started to throw them in it's general direction.  _Two dragons in two days. Funny, ranger. Really funny. We're so dead!_ Another firebolt, evading the ice storm the dragon unleashed. 

"Why won't it land??" Annekke screamed. "It would be easier to hit it, right?"

"It will! It has to!" Bishop shouted and released two arrows in rapid succession, hoping at least one would hit the beast. "Watch out!" he grabbed Annekke around the waist and pushed her out of the way, a stream of ice spikes and snowflakes crackling through the air around the spot where she stood just moments ago. "Guess it's path, don't aim directly at it!" and he was off again, nearly slipping on the ice covering the ground.

Every arrow, every spell that hit the dragon made it roar, more in anger than pain, it's attacks with the frost breath trying to hit one of the puny mortals that dared to get too close. 

"Hi nos Zu'u, Lir?" it roared and landed with earthshattering force. Once again, Bishop could swear it was trying to talk, or talking, just in another language. But it was on the ground now, time to finish it.

"Ready, princess?" he shouted as he was running towards the dragon.

"For what?" she was at his side in a heartbeat. "What's your plan now?"

"Fry it from the inside again!" He pulled out his old dagger and ran towards the beast. Like the last time, evaded it's wings and slashing tail and slid down under his neck. 

_He's insane! It's going to eat him. Crazy is what he is!_ Alexis readied her lightning spell, hoping to hit the tiny dagger sticking out of the dragons neck.  _Pleasepleaseplease, by all the god's, let me hit it._ She prayed and let loose.

"God's be good! It's dead. We did it!!" Annekke dropped her bow and watched the dragon fall down, shaking the ground for the last time. "We killed a dragon."

"Just you wait..." Bishop panted. "It's not over yet." Annekke looked at him, opened her mouth to speak as flames started to appear around the dragon. "What the actual fuck?" was all she managed.

"What she said..." Alexis stood there, eyes wide with wonder. 

"You didn't see it last time. As far as I remember you were on the ground eating dirt when it happened." Bishop grinned.

"What... What's it doing?" Alexis backed up as swirls of light flowed towards her. 

"Who... What are you?" Annekke eyed her suspiciously. "What is going on here?"

"Ever heard of the Dragonborn?" Bishop asked casually.

It took him a while to explain, or try to explain everything he rememberd the guards saying. Annekke asked a few questions, Alexis didn't move, didn't utter a single word.

"So, the gods chose a breton girl as our hero and saviour? Dragonborn. You know, no one's going to believe it."

 "I'm not a girl." Alexis muttered.

"What?" Annekke turned her head towards her.

"I said, I'm not a girl! I'm 28!" she shouted. Something wasn't right. Something inside her. In her head. She felt sick.  _Same as last time. Just... Last time that feeling vanished. How...?_

Annekke snorted. "Sorry to have given offense. Now I know why you call her princess all the time, Bishop." she smirked. "Well, let's see if we can find it's lair. And maybe take some bones and scales with us too, else no one's gonna believe we killed a dragon." she headed for the remains and started to rummage around the bones.

"Hey, you okay, princess?" Bishop kneeled down beside Alexis.

"No?" she looked up. "What was that? What just happened?"

"If some guards are to believed, you took it's soul. Guess there's only one thing you can do to find out for sure." he stood up and pulled her with him. "Go to the greybeards."

"Just like that? Go there and demand answers?"

"Yup. But not right now. Now we see if the dragon stashed some shinies somewhere, then we go get Karnwyr. Then we can go visit the greybeards."

"You're coming?"

Was he? Why would he offer to come with her? Just out of curiosity, obviously. He'd never been up there, only heard stories about the greybeards. So, why not go with her, see where the road would lead. As good a reason as any. "Wouldn't miss it for the world." he smirked. "Guess you have some choice words for the old geezers and I want to be there when you put them in their place."

She snorted. "Yeah, right."

"Now come on. Up the hill, I bet there's something nice up there." he held out his hand.

"Another dragon, if my luck holds." she grimaced and took his hand. "Or two, who knows."

"Or lot's of gold and jewels." Bishop laughed and started running. "Come on Annekke! Let's raid the lair!"

The path up the hill was littered with bones, mammoth tusks were sticking out the ground. The top of the hill was adorned by rocks jutting out the ground like a crown, an old chest was half burried in the ground, the ribcage of a mammoth above it prevented easy access. The most prominent feature, however, was a huge black wall on the opposite side of the path. It didn't seem to belong here, in the wilderness, but it also fit into the surroundings like they were made for it. Around it's edges were stone carvings, trumped by a huge stone dragons head jutting out above the wall. Almost lifelike, with glowing eyes in the setting sun.

"Woah!" Bishop stopped in his tracks. 

"You know what this is?" Annekke asked excited. "One of the ancient dragon walls. Never knew there was one here."

"How do you know?"

"Well, I've been travelling all over Skyrim, so to speak. Alone and with my husband before he started to get all homey on me." she screwed up her nose. "Stupid old... Anyway. It's said that the old nords or whatever built them at places important to them. Or... something along these lines." she walked up to the wall. "See that? These scratches are in the ancient tongue of the dragon priests. I think. I remember I had a book about such things once..." her voice trailed off.

"I've seen this before."  _It started to speak to me, in Bleakfalls Barrow. It started to talk to me._ Alexis shuddered.  _Yeah, right genius. Just tell them. They already think you're weird, why not add to that?_ She walked towards it and, just like the last time, it started to whisper. Chant. A part of the wall started to glow faintly. "Do you see it?"

"See what?" Annekke and Bishop, who were studying the wall, turned around.

"The- glow." The closer Alexis got to the wall, the louder the chanting grew, the lit up part of the wall got brighter. She placed her hand on the glow, the chanting grew into an earsplitting crescendo and then abruptly stopped. "Di Su'um Los Fo."

She was just standing there, hand outstretched, unmoving. "Well, that's not creepy at all." Annekke grimaced. "Let's see what else is up here..."

"You-, go ahead." Bishop walked up to Alexis. "Hey. Princess?"

"Hm?"

"All good?"

She smiled. "Yes."

"You're bleeding." he wiped away some blood that was trickling out of her nose. "So I'd say, you're not."

"I am though. See that?" she pointed at some scratches. "That means frost. Don't ask how I know it, but it does."

"Ah. Frost. Sure, why not." he grinned. "So what? Can you breath frost now or something?" 

"I think-" she laughed. "You know, I think I can. I just don't know how."

"What, just like the thing you did to the guard yesterday?" watching that had been the strangest and, to be sure, funniest thing he'd ever seen. The guards had pestered her about her shouts and suddenly, without so much as a warning, she'd shouted at them and made them stumble and fall down. For a second he'd thought they would take offense to that, but they didn't seem to care too much.

"Different. But yes. It's just like... After the dragon died, at Whiterun, something- clicked. Can't explain it right. This time, I felt... sick. Like there was something inside me, inside my head, looking for... something. I don't make any sense, do I?"

"Nope. Just another thing to pester the old guys on top of their mountain?"

She sighed. "I still don't want to go there but... Ah, let's go. See if we can find something nice up here."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:
> 
> Hi nos Zu'u, Lir? - You dare attack me, weaklings/worms? (sorta, the 'dare' wasn't there, I just added it^^ sue me :P)  
> Di Su'um Los Fo. - My breath is Frost.


	7. The Butcher on Ice

They'd spent the night at Darkwater Crossing and left early in the morning. Heading east where, according to an unlucky thug, a cave had been outfitted with cages, an arena and a bar to house animal fights. They'd started out talking or, better yet, mocking each other. Bishop couldn't resist to criticize Alexis' choice of wardrobe. Just before they'd started out, she'd changed shirts and he wasn't all too happy that she went with a well fitting one instead of a skin tight shirt where she couldn't close all the buttons. Alexis, on the other hand, complained about him being 'such a guy' and they spent a good while arguing about what made a man 'such a guy'.

A few hours into their trip, they were walking in silence, both following their own thoughts. Bishop's thoughts were occupied by the strange creature on his side. The little pixie that, although he'd known her for all of three days now, continued to spook around his head. She was cute, a bit small for his taste, barely reaching his shoulders but... Ah, but that kiss he'd stolen just before the dragon fight. He couldn't even remember why he'd done it, it had just seemed so right at that moment. All he knew was, that he wanted to do it again. Soon. They were walking side by side and every so often he would steal a glance at her. The wild curls on her head so inviting, he just wanted to bury his hands in them, bend her head back and ravage these sweet lips of hers.

Alexis tried to summon that something, that had made her shout at the guards after their first dragon kill but no matter how hard she concentrated, it wouldn't work. Every once in a while she whispered the words. Fus. Fo. She stopped whispering after seeing Bishop's expression at her desperate tries to summon... something. It was of no use, if she wanted to know something about her being that thing, that Dragonborn, she would have to swallow the pill and go visit the greybeards, throwing all her plans of leaving Skyrim to the wind.

"So," she cleared her throat. "you really think going to the Greybeards is the right thing?"

Bishop looked at her, "No."

"But, but yesterday you said..."

"I know what I said. It's not my decision. If you want to go there and learn about that stuff, that's okay. It's just..." he trailed off.

"Just what?"

"Right, princess. In my opinion there's only one way this is going to run." he sighed. "You go there, they babble about prophecy and such and then send you off to do whatever that prophecy tells you, probably something extremely dangerous but of the utmost importance for every living thing blablabla. So no, I don't think going there is the right thing. But in the end, it's your only option to find out and learn about that soul sucking and your conversations with black walls." 

"You think I'm nuts, don't you? A freak." she couldn't blame him. A dragon-soul sucking freak that had conversations with walls, as he so deftly put it. If it was someone else and she'd heard about it, she would also think them nuts.

"What? No! Ladyship, that was a joke."  _Stupid, big mouthed idiot._ he chastised himself. "Let's see." he stopped. "First, just because you can do something that you don't understand, that no one around can understand, doesn't make you a freak. It makes you... special." She snorted. "Quiet, woman." he grinned. "Second, I think talking to walls is a bit unusual, to be sure. Especially since no one else can do that or ever heard about it."

"But I don't..."

"Didn't I tell you to be quiet? So, your talking to walls brings us to my first point again. And third, hm, you really don't want to know what I'm thinking right now, ladyship." he all but growled that last part, a wolfish grin on his face.

"I'm just saying that I don't talk to walls. They talk to m... What are you doing?" she eyed him suspiciously and took a step back, closely followed by the ranger.

"You never listen, do you?" the hunt was on now, the prey stepping back, unsure of his intentions. "Let me show you what I'm thinking right now..."

"What, Bishop!" she stopped and, trying to make herself as big as possible, looked at him with narrowed eyes. "I'm not..."

He was towering over her, surprise plain on her face. He gave her a moment to step back, to stop him. She didn't, just looked at him with her big green eyes. "Last chance." he whispered.

"Last...?"

One arm snaked around her waist and he pulled her closer, burying the other in her wild curls, warm from the sun. A surprised sound escaped her mouth as he bent her head back and pressed his lips to hers, shutting out her protest. Her lips, so soft, yielded to his. Patiently, he let his lips linger for a while, just pressed to hers before he started to explore them. Nibbling and sucking on her lips, watching her eyes glaze over. Her mouth opened to let out a soft moan. He deepened the kiss, explored her mouth, tasting her, feeling her hot breath on his skin. 

Her hands were caught between their bodies, resting on his chest. What was he doing? Why would he do this? Thoughts raced through her head. The attack on her lips, without a warning or anything, made her legs feel weak. Lucky he was holding her, else she would have crumbled to the ground. She should stop him, push him away, knowing where it could lead to. What it could lead to. His hands, meanwhile, wandered. From her head down, to her neck and brushing over her spine before resting on her side. She could just move her head. Away from his, from his lips, his tongue, but she didn't. It was him who pulled back. 

She looked like a goddess, her unruly hair even more dishevelled, lips swollen, breathing heavy. If just one kiss could have such an effect on her... Who was he lying to, on both of them, he couldn't wait for a follow-up. He cleared his throat and let go of her. "That'll have to do." he grinned. "Cave should be around here somewhere. 

"What..." She blinked, confused.

"Come on, princess. We can talk about it later... or continue where we left off." he winked and gave her a little peck on the head. "Off we go." and he walked down the dirt path, leaving Alexis stunned and at a loss for words.

It had taken a while for Bishop and Alexis to find the exact spot of the cave and now they were sitting in some bushes not too far from it, watching the goings on from a distance. The cave entrance was blocked by a wooden door. The area was patrolled by a guard in filthy leathers. Every so often he stopped at the two cages, standing near the entrance, hitting or kicking the bars to quiet down two captured wolves. A while ago some shady figures walked up the path to the cave and got waved through. 

Bishop readied his bow. "Right. Let's hope there's no one else around and I can kill him in one shot, aye?"

"Really?" Alexis scrunched up her nose. 

"You find fault in my strategy, princess?" he lifted an eyebrow.

"As a matter of fact I do. Moron."

He chuckled. "Moron?"

"Well, you are." she smiled sweetly. "I know some tricks that might help us here."

"So, how would you go at it, then?"

"Easy." she dropped her backpack and pulled out a shirt. "Turn around, please."

"I thought you said it was too tight?" he grinned and turned around.

"It will serve us well now."

He could hear her rustling and fighting with the buttons. "So, what's the plan?"

"Just wait for my sign." she got up and adjusted her cleavage. "God's, I look like a cheap whore. Eyes up here, ranger."

"Huh?" He'd seen his fair share of easy women, in skimpy clothes, near naked. The sight infront of him topped them all. Her leather pants ended just under her navel. The shirt ended just above it, sticking to her like a second skin and the buttons she couldn't close didn't leave much room for imagination. He cleared his throat. "You better hurry, princess." he growled.  _Especially since my pants are getting tighter the longer you're that close to me._

 "Right." she took a deep breath. "Be prepared, just in case." 

"In case..." and she was gone. Walking up the path towards the camp and the lonely guard, swinging her hips. The guard reached for his sword and was about to pull it when she said something to him. Bishop couldn't hear a word of their short conversation, just her laughter, throaty, sexy. She put one hand on the guards chest, leaned forward and said something that made the guard grin lewdly and grab her around the waist. Her other hand, hidden behind her back, moved, summoning red light swirls. She laughed again, and before the guard knew what hit him he was done. Her hand flipped forward, the light surrounded him and he stopped moving alltogether, his hands dropped to his sides. 

"I think I've overdone it a bit." she stood there watching Bishop tie the guard to a chair. "Damn it!"

"Hey." he clicked his fingers, trying to get something out of the guard, who wasn't reacting to anything. "I think you broke him." he grinned. 

She grimaced. "Funny. So, what are we going to do now? He's of no use like that."

"What use would he have been anyway?"

"For starters, he could've told us how many more of his friends are inside." she exhaled, clearly frustrated.

"Could. Sure. But would he?"

"God's, you're annoying." she stomped back to the bushes, to get their gear.

He chuckled and placed an elbow on the guards shoulders and observed the swing of her hips. "You just have to love that movement right there, don't you?" Saliva started to slowly tickle down the guards chin. "Right you are, pal. Mouthwatering. Hey, highness." he shouted. She'd been rummaging through her pack and turned around. "You're not thinking of changing again, are you? Would be a shame." 

If looks could kill he'd be dead right on the spot. With a lazy smile he waited for her to come back, clothed once again in a better fitting shirt and her leather vest on top. "Not. A. Word." she walked past him and stopped right infront of the guard, grabbed and shook him. "How many of you are in there?" 

His answer consisted of a slow blink and more saliva escaping his mouth.

"Damn you!" she pulled back an arm, about to hit his face. Bishop caught her hand just before it connected with the guard. 

"Look at him, princess. It's no use, even if you beat the living shit out of him."

"Don't you think I know that?" she hissed.

"Then why all that anger? We'll go in, clean up and leave him here for whoever or whatever comes around next."

"He... Cause he's a... Gah. Let's go." she let off muttering under her breath. 

"Lucky for you, pal. Her hands aren't that big, to be sure, but she still could do some damage if she wanted." he slapped the guards shoulder and went after her. A well placed kick on the lock and the wooden door sprang open. "After you, ladyship."

The passage they entered was dark, only lit by a flickering torch. They almost missed the guard leaning on the wall behind a moth eaten banner hanging down the middle of the path. Bishop stopped Alexis and sneaked up on him, dagger in hand. A short while later the guard was dead, lying on the floor with a slit throat.

"Why'd you kill him?" Alexis hissed.

"What do you think?" he rolled his eyes. "Don't be naive, ladyship. You think he would have..."

"You could have knocked him over the head or something." she interrupted him. "I don't get it. You kill this one as if it's nothing but if I want to slap someone, just slap..." she fumed.

"What do you think would've happened if 'knocking out' didn't work, huh? I don't want the whole cave to know that we're here!" He took a deep breath. "The one outside is done. As soon as he gets to his senses, he still is tied to the chair. No danger at all, but if you want to, go out and slap him. Be my guest. I just think you should save your strength or... whatever makes you throw spells around, I guess, for the people in there."

"But..."

"Stop complaining, will you? It's done."

They moved deeper into the cave, the path leading down towards another cage with a wolf in it. It was sitting in there, quiet, watching them with wagging tail.

"Ah, there you are, you mutt!" Bishop moved towards the cage and broke the lock with the hilt of his dagger. "What were you thinking, getting trapped and making me track you all the way to this godsforsaken place?" The wolf jumped out and right into the ranger who toppled over, chuckling. "There, there. What do you say we play a little game for old times sake? I'll shoot an arrow into one of these bandit bastards knees and you can go rip his face off?" The wolf huffed and growled menacingly. "There you go." Bishop grinned. "But first, ladyship? This is Karnwyr." he pulled her towards the wolf. "Karnwyr, this is the princess." he grinned. The wolf looked at Alexis, head tilted to the side.

"Um, hi?" the wolf huffed and sniffed at her. "I don't have anything for you at the moment." she grinned and held out her hands. Another sniff, a lick and a little growl later her hands were deep in the animals fur. "You're just a big old softy, aren't you?" she giggled.

Bishop watched their meeting and shook his head at the giggling woman and his wolf, who'd started to lick her face. "Softy." he snorted. "He's a savage beast." Karnwyr ruined his statement by snuggling up to Alexis. "Right, that's it. Stop ruining your image Karnwyr." Bishop growled and pulled the wolf off Alexis. "Time to get some action!"

"I think someone is jealous." Alexis sang and danced around the ranger. "He likes me more than you."

"He'd rip you apart if I told him so." he grunted.

Karnwyr whined and crouched down. Alexis grinned "Yeah, there's your answer."

"Traitor." the wolf just huffed. "Yeah, yeah, she's nice and cute. I saw her first, so step back." Bishop grinned. "Now, let's clean out this cave, aye?"

 The path continued around a corner and opened up into a huge cavern. They hid behind some barrels standing around and checked for enemies. From where they hid they could oversee the whole cavern. A few paces infront of them, was a drop of a few metres and to the right a ramp of sorts that lead down into the main room. Far to the back was some kind of bar, all with a barkeep and some patrons sitting there drinking. A huge arena claimed the most part of the cavern, blood spattered but otherwise empty. Some benches and tables were placed around the wooden fence of the arena and some patrons were sitting there, talking with each other. All in all, they could make out eleven patrons plus one barkeep. Not to mention a breach in the cave wall that lead further back with who knew how many baddies down there. 

"So, how're we gonna do this?" Alexis whispered. "A lot of guys down there, just saying..."

Bishop flashed his teeth. "Afraid, princess?"

"No?!" She peeked around her barrel. "It's just... There's a lot."

"All the more fun for us, aye?" he grinned. "I'll sneak back there and we attack together, you take the ones around the arena, I'll take care of the bar. Karnwyr... He'll find some legs and arms to rip off, I'm sure." 

She watched the ranger and wolf sneak away, Bishop hiding in a corner and readied his bow. Karnwyr was nowhere to be seen. Wiping her sweaty hands on her pants, Alexis peeked around the barrel again, checking the area around the arena. Three patrons were talking to each other, close together. One was on his own, leaning back in a chair with eyes closed, another playing with a knife.

She concentrated on the trio on the table, readying a spell, red light swirling around her hand. She looked over to Bishop, he nodded and readied an arrow. A cry errupted from the lone man, resting on a chair. Karnwyr was hanging on his arm, growling menacingly. She threw her hands out and released the spell, it hit one of the patrons at the table and he started to shout and pulled a heavy two handed sword from his back, waving and slashing at his friends. She grinned, summoned some flames and threw them towards the table too, setting the clothes of the fighting men on fire. Bishop, meanwhile, had dispatched some drunks and the barkeep without any fuss, arrows hitting their marks with deadly precision. Before they even knew what was happening, half of the men around the bar were slumped over or lying on the ground screaming in agony.

"What the fuck is going on?" a shout echoed from the breach and a huge man in glinting armor walked out. Karnwyr immediately jumped towards him, but a kick with a heavy boot left the wolf dazed. 

"All your's princess!" Bishop shouted and backed away from some patrons with bleeding arms or legs, some limping but all of them with swords or axes, surrounding the ranger.

"A little mage, are you?" the huge man snarled as he discovered Alexis hiding spot. "I'm gonna enjoy killing you, bitch. After me and my boys had their fun with you, of course." he lifted a huge war hammer. With a heavy grunt he swung it down, the barrel bursting into splinters and Alexis rolling out of the way with a high pitched scream. "You scream now, girl, I haven't even started yet!" Another swing towards her that she barely escaped. She was trapped, scooting back on the ground until she hit the fence that protected from the drop down towards the arena. "Think you can escape the butcher, bitch?" the man shouted and lifted the hammer again.

Out of the corner of her eyes she could see Bishop, fighting off some men, evading their weapons. Bastard even dared to laugh in their faces! Her mind was blank. No spells, no escape, nothing. "Let me break some bones, promise it's gonna hurt a lot." the Butcher laughed and his hammer crashed down, grazing her shoulder. "Damn helmet." with a grunt the man pulled off his helmet. "Now, let's try that again." 

Her shoulder was on fire, her arm hanging down useless and stars dancing infront of her eyes. With tears streaming down her face, she tried to crawl away, just to be pulled back. "Now, now, little mage. We're just getting started here." the man pulled her head back, steel clad fist clawing her neck. He pulled her up and grinned. "Try to run, put up a fight, I dare you." he snarled, his stinking breath making her gag. 

"I-will-not-run!" Never again would she run away. Not to mention that she absolutely couldn't get away from his grip. "You don't know who you're messing with!" she put as much venom in her words as she could. 

The guards around the watchtower, where she first shouted, just annoyed her with their rambling about shouts and Dragonborns and whatnot. The shout just came out of nowhere. Now she was furious. This bastard, cocksure as he was, wasn't prepared for the force that suddenly hit him. He let go of her and stumbled back, tripping over a rock on the floor and sat down with a grunt. Without giving him a chance to get up again, she shouted again. 'Fo' this time. A swirl of snowflakes and tiny ice spikes formed infront of her, moving in a straight line towards the Butcher and leaving a thin sheet of ice on the ground. He cried out, obviously in pain, as soon as the spikes hit him. Every part of him was covered in frost. 

She struggled to her feet, her throat was sore, her breaths ragged. Karnwyr appeard from somewhere, liking her hand. "Go, get him, boy." she whispered and turned around as he jumped forward, growling.

 

 


End file.
